Police stand guard at the site of a suicide blast in Volgograd, Russia. (REUTERS/Sergei Karpov)

December 30, 2013

ADVERTISEMENT

Sign Up for

Our free email newsletters

10 things you need to know today

Today's best articles

The week's best photojournalism

Today's top cartoons

Daily business briefing

1. Bombing in Russia kills at least 15 peopleA bomb planted in a trolley killed at least 15 people on Monday in the central Russian city of Volgograd. The attack comes a day after a female suicide bomber set off an explosion at the Volgograd train station, killing at least 17 people. The attacks have raised concerns about terrorism in Russia ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. [New York Times]………………………………………………………………………………

2. More than 1 million sign up for ObamaCare in DecemberWhile Healthcare.gov had a very rocky rollout, more than one million people signed up for health insurance through the federal website in December. That brings the total number of enrollments to about 1.1 million. However, the Obama administration had originally estimated that 3.3 million people would have signed up by the end of 2013 through both the federal and state exchanges. [Associated Press]………………………………………………………………………………

3. Report warns that Afghan security will erodeU.S. intelligence agencies have issued a report that predicts Afghanistan's tenuous security situation will likely worsen by 2017. The National Intelligence Estimate says that the situation will devolve even if the U.S. continues to send large amounts of aid and leaves a few thousand troops in Afghanistan to keep the Taliban from gaining power. The assessment comes as the United States negotiates a treaty to keep an international military force in Afghanistan over the next several years. [Washington Post]………………………………………………………………………………

4. Syria expected to miss weapons deadlineInternational officials warn that it is likely that the Syrian government will miss its Dec. 31 deadline for transferring a portion of its chemical weapons stockpile. The regime of Bashar al-Assad, which came under intense international scrutiny earlier this year after allegedly using chemical weapons against its own people, has not begun to move the weapons despite international pressure to disarm, citing difficulties stemming from the ongoing civil war and the weather. Weapons inspectors say it shouldn't take long to dispose of the weapons once they are moved out of Syria. [New York Times]………………………………………………………………………………

5. Formula One champ injured in skiing accidentRetired Formula One racer Michael Schumacher was badly injured on Sunday while skiing in the French Alps. Schumacher, who is a seven-time world champion, was wearing a helmet but had to be airlifted to a hospital, where he is currently said to be in critical condition. [CBS]………………………………………………………………………………

6. Minimum wage set to rise in 13 statesAn estimated 2.5 million minimum wage workers will see a bump in their paychecks come Jan. 1. Thirteen states (including Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Colorado) and four cities are increasing their minimum wage. Most of these workers will see modest increases (less than 15 cents an hour) but a few states will be offering more. New Jersey, for example, will raise the state minimum wage by $1 to $8.25 an hour. [CNN]………………………………………………………………………………

7. Israel and Lebanon reportedly trade fireIsrael bombarded southern Lebanon with at least 20 rockets on Sunday after claiming its neighbor had attacked Kiryat Shmona, a northern Israeli town near the border. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the Lebanese government for allowing the militant group Hezbollah to continue fomenting violence and vowed to respond aggressively. [CNN]………………………………………………………………………………

8. Sotomayor to join New York's New Year's celebrationSupreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will ring in the New Year in New York City, leading the 60-second final countdown in Times Square. Sotomayor will also push the button to drop the New Year's Eve ball. [Fox]………………………………………………………………………………

9. Northern California counties consider creating their own stateA handful of California's northern counties are hoping to secede and form the 51st state. Two have already voted to break away and create Jefferson State, while a few others have decided to hold referendums on the issue. Residents in these mostly rural counties say they don't feel represented in the state capital of Sacramento and are alienated from Californian politics overall. [Los Angeles Times]………………………………………………………………………………

10. Rex Ryan will coach the Jets in 2014Rex Ryan, the embattled head coach of the New York Jets, will still have a job with the football franchise next year. Despite missing the playoffs for the third year in a row, Ryan still has the backing of Jets' owner Woody Johnson. Ryan, who is popular with the players, has amassed a 42-38 regular season record and is 4-2 in post-season play with the Jets. [USA Today]………………………………………………………………………………